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Air source heat pumps do make a bit of noise. However, it’s the external unit that makes the noise, minimising disruption in your home. And while it’s a good idea to ensure your external unit isn’t located directly under your bedroom window or very close to a neighbour’s property, it won’t be louder than 40-60 decibels. In many cases, this is actually quieter than a fossil fuel-powered boiler.

Whether installing an air source heat pump will help you save money depends on your property, how long you expect to live there, and the type of heat pump you get.

Air source heat pumps are initially quite expensive to install. However, if you get an air-to-water air source heat pump, you’re eligible for money from the Renewable Heat Incentive [https://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/scotland/grants-loans/renewables/renewable-heat-incentive] (RHI). This is a UK government scheme that gives you quarterly cash payments over seven years if you install an eligible renewable heating technology (air-to-air air source heat pumps aren’t included).

All this means that if you have long-term plans to stay in your property, then an air-to-water air source heat pump can be a great way to save money on your heating bills. However, if you’re planning on moving out of your property relatively soon, or are a considering an air-to-air air source heat pump, it may not be the best financial option for you.

It’s important to remember that air source heat pumps are at their most efficient when installed in very well insulated properties. If your property’s not very energy efficient, you may find that a heat pump won’t help you save money.

If you’re thinking about installing ground source heat pumps for your home, you’ll definitely want to know whether or not its worth the money. In this article, we’re going to look at the various benefits and drawbacks of the heat pump to enable you make an informed purchase decision.

As a result of their high efficiency rate and low running cost, ground source heat pumps are incredibly low carbon heating system which are presently experiencing a rapid increase in popularity, therefore they can actually be a valuable investment. This type of heat pump utilizes the constant temperature of the ground to provide warmth to your home - either for a space or for water heating purposes. Upon installation, the cost of running ground source heat pump is relatively low. What’s more? This type of heating system is eligible for the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) which means you can also earn an extra income on the side as well. However, what makes most homeowners think twice before installing a ground source heat pump is the high cost of installation.

Heat pumps are greatly essential especially when it comes to minimizing the UK’s total carbon emissions. At present, there about 240,000 units of the heat pump installed and to help attain the UK’s 2050 Net Zero goals, an extra 19 million heat pumps will have to be installed. If you wish to help in the achievement of this goal, you can start by investing in a ground source heat pump. So let’s look at some of the pros and cons of the heat pump.

PROS

✓ Low running costs

✓ Low carbon heating

✓ Energy efficient

✓ Eligible for grants

✓ Increases property value

✓ Provides both cooling and heating

✓ Inexhaustible

CONS

✓ High installation costs.

✓ The soil type impact its level of efficiency.

✓ It can be hard to install in retrofits.

Most people want to connect solar panels to a battery when they’re not at home all day to use the electricity they generate, or generate more than they consume over a day. Solar batteries are a great way to maximise the savings on your energy bills since you can use every unit of electricity you generate.

If you want to connect your solar panels to a battery, the best – and safest – way is to ask an MCS-registered company to do it for you. They’ve had lots of training and hold qualifications in handling electricity and installing solar batteries, so they will be able to recommend the best battery for your solar panels and for the among of electricity you use. Some of the brands they might recommend include Tesla, SolarEdge and SolaX, but there are many more to choose from. If you want to send electricity to the grid from your battery to receive Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) payments, it’s also worth leaving installation up to a registered installer. This is because you might not be eligible for payments if your battery wasn’t installed by an MCS-registered company.

However, if you do want to have a go at connecting your solar panels to a battery, it’s worth finding out whether your system is ‘storage ready’. Most relatively new systems will be, since batteries are becoming more commonplace. If your solar panels are storage ready, they will have an inverter that can easily have a battery added to it. If this is the case, then you should be able to buy the solar battery you want and follow the manufacturer's instructions to install it.

But it’s worth remembering that electricity is extremely dangerous when handled improperly. If you don’t get the solar battery connected properly and something goes wrong, it could cause a fire or you could electrocute yourself. If a fire breaks out due to your battery, it’s unlikely that your home insurance company would pay out since you connected the battery yourself. That’s why it’s always worth speaking to a registered installer to install a solar battery storage system for you.

If you’re looking to purchase and install a solar system for your home or property, then knowing the amount of energy a solar panel can produce can go a long way to help you determine just how much solar panels that’ll be needed to power your entire house. In this article, we’ll give you an idea of the amount of energy that can be generated by a solar panel to help you make informed decisions going ahead.

First and foremost, you should note that each and every solar panel is rated by how much direct current power they’re able to generate under standard testing conditions. The output of a solar panel is given in watts units (W) and it stands for the theoretical power generation of the panel under direct sunlight as well as temperature conditions. Generally, several domestic solar panels possesses power output ratings which ranges from 250 watts to 400 watts. And as you would have expected, the higher power ratings are preferable when compared to the lower power ratings. What’s more? The total wattage of your solar panels will greatly influence a major part of your overall solar system cost.

Assuming you’re able to get just about 5 hours of direct sunlight every day, you can determine the output of your solar panel in this way - 5 hours x 290 watts ( wattage example of a premium solar panel) = 1450 watts-hours or approximately 1.5 kilowatts per hour (kWh). hence, the individual solar panel output in your array should be able to generate about 500 to 550 kWh of energy every year. This is sufficient energy to power some small appliances without problems.

There are two different types: flat plate, where lots of thin tubes carry water through a flat absorber panel, and evacuated tube, where vacuum glass tubes capture the sun’s energy directly. There is little difference in performance between the two but evacuated tube panels do more obviously extrude from the roof.

How Long Do Solar Panels Last?

As an alternative form of energy, solar panels are becoming increasingly popular all thanks to a wide range of benefits it provides. It does not produce any emission which makes it greener and more environmentally friendly, it requires little maintenance and are less likely to break down, they also come with warranty that are always quite long mainly because of the life expectancy of the average solar panel amongst many other advantages. Therefore, if you’re considering to purchase and install new solar panels within your home, you’d also probably want to know the time period in which they’re expected to last. In this article, we aim to help you answer this question so you can make an informed decision going ahead.

As a result of the rising energy bills as well as the desire to be greener, solar panels are becoming increasingly popular by the day in the UK. The most recent models of solar panels in the market possesses an expected lifespan of 40 to 50 years as well as warranties that keeps them protected for a minimum of half of that period. These warranties also serves as a guarantee to the solar panel’s level of performance over the first half of their lifespan. Several warranties will guarantee that the performance will not go below 80 percent before the warranty lapses. And even more importantly, some solar panels are crafted in such a way that they wouldn’t drop below 80 percent performance level throughout their lives.

However, in order to derive maximum benefits from your solar panels for a long period, there’s a need to ensure they’re properly maintained at least once a year throughout their lifespan.

If you’re looking to install a solar thermal system in your home, this is usually one of the first concerns several homeowners have. Being fully aware that solar water heating systems are usually more expensive than their counterparts - the conventional water heating systems, the question arises whether or not you’ll be able to save some money from your solar water heating system in the long run. In this article, we aim provide an answer to this important question. Let’s take a closer look!

When it comes to solar thermal systems, the money you’ll be able to save in the long run depends on a wide range of factors. These factor includes:

✓ Your system’s performance.

✓ Your geographical location and solar resource

✓ Your household’s hot water demand

✓ Financing and incentive options that are available.

✓ The cost of fuel that’s being used for your alternative or backup water heating system, if you own one.

✓ The cost of conventional fuels such as oil, electricity or natural gas.

There are several benefits, however, that comes with the installation of a solar water heating system. Since the sun is absolutely free, future fuel shortages and price hikes will have little impact on you. Also, on the average if you decide to fit a solar thermal system your water heating bills is expected to drop about 50 percent to 80 percent. What’s more? The economics are even a lot more attractive when you’re just about to build a new home or refinancing. When you include the price of a solar water system in a 30 year mortgage, it’ll normally amount to very low price per month. Therefore, on a monthly basis you’ll be saving more and paying less.